‘Informal volunteering’ also means going shopping for the neighbour or watering an elderly relative’s flowers.
Of those who are not yet volunteers, 70% indicated that they would like to get involved. However, there were differences between the areas in which people are already involved and those in which future volunteers are interested.
Most volunteers are currently involved in sports, culture, social work, and education, according to Anne Daems, the Ministry of Family Affairs’ volunteer coordinator. People who have not yet had the opportunity to volunteer are particularly interested in animal protection, integration, and recreation. As a result, the Ministry of Family Affairs wants to look into expanding the offer and making it more accessible. It was also noted that foreign residents, particularly those who have not been in Luxembourg for a long time, are active in or would like to be involved in volunteer work for integration.
Time is also a significant factor, according to the report. People frequently feel that long-term and consistent commitments are required. The survey revealed that devotion to one-time events, such as the floods last year or the tornado a few years ago, is the most significant.
In crisis situations, people understand that they are only committed for a limited time and that it will end after that time, according to Daems. This is also important because, if the need arises, these people are more willing to help if they have previously had positive volunteer experiences.
These findings came from a recent TNS-Ilres poll for the Ministry of Family Affairs. At the end of 2021, 2,000 residents over the age of 16 were interviewed for this poll.
